Posted
by
samzenpus
on Wednesday July 20, 2011 @12:58PM
from the virtual-black-lung dept.

An anonymous reader writes "The Virtual Mine, an interactive simulation set in the virtual world of Second Life designed to examine the effects of mountaintop coal mining, has been nominated for an Emmy Award for new approaches to news and documentary programming. From the article: 'The Virtual Mine allows visitors to take a closer look at the challenges of balancing the environment, power demands, and economic interests by inviting them to take part in a story as it unfolds through a series of three games. While it was created with educators and students in mind, the games can be played in groups or by individuals alike.'"

Ya got me. It's true. On my desk right now are newspaper clippings and recorded VHS tapes about mining exploitation. I have a doctorate in the ethics of mining from a semi-reputable online academy. Basically my life consists of this: I wake up and log onto Slashdot and try to offer informative posts and pretend like I'm really a software developer. Usually Toxic West Virginia [youtube.com] is playing in another browser window. I sit and wait and wait until anything mildly related to mining is posted and then I get a huge rager and my hands start to shake. It's almost too much for my fingers to kiss the keyboard with my sweet sweet dissent against the big bad evil. It's a long running ruse that was about to pay off until you meddling anonymous cowards caught me in the act.

I live solely for the moment that something barely intersects with mining on Slashdot. Mining forums? That's for chumps. I spread Rock's word on the very website that is rife with unbelievers.

Either that's the case OR -- and stay with me here -- I heard the very recent This American Life on NPR, got online to read up on it myself and somehow recalled that brief investigation when I read this in the article:

It was created to to educate, explore, and examine our nation’s struggle with mountain top removal coal mines, coal fired power production, and alternative energies...

And I thought I might relay this very recent dispute to the readers.

That last possibility is just far too absurd though.

I apologize for trying to remind everyone about the present and ongoing human factor in mining -- even non-mountain top destroying mining.